


Slip-n-Slide

by flecksofpoppy



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff, M/M, One Shot, Prompt Fill, Secret Crush, Water Park Employee!Reiner, water park AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-04
Updated: 2014-10-04
Packaged: 2018-02-19 21:11:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,745
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2403035
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flecksofpoppy/pseuds/flecksofpoppy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Reiner's summer job at the water park is pretty lame, until a high school classmate he never thought he'd see again shows up one day with his little brother...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Slip-n-Slide

**Author's Note:**

  * For [enjouji](https://archiveofourown.org/users/enjouji/gifts).



> Shameless, shameless fluff. Written for the Reibert prompt "waterparkwaterparkwaterpark." ;)

Reiner’s summer job sucked until recently.

Water parks are supposed to be fun, but working at one is not. Reiner learned that the hard way, after he’d applied at Trost Wet-n-Wild Fun Zone, thinking that a part-time job in the sun during his last summer before college would be a blast.

He didn’t realize that it would involve questions as to why the wading pools were warm or things getting stuck in pipes that should never be stuck in pipes. Not only that—since he’s big, everyone assumes that he’ll be the one to crawl into places that require the use of a wrench and brute strength.

Needless to say, Reiner has spent far less time in the sun than planned, and almost his entire paycheck washing his army of ugly pink company-issued polo shirts that routinely get dirty with things other than water. And, much like working at a fast food place and seeing what happens behind the scenes, he’s not really a big fan of water parks anymore.

That is, of course, until a certain former classmate of his walks in one day with his little brother.

Bertolt Hoover was one of the smartest kids in Reiner’s graduating class, but also one of the most shy. Unlike Reiner, he had barely any friends, and although he wasn’t picked on very often, he tried desperately to go unnoticed. Sort of hard when you’re the valedictorian and don’t show up to graduation. (Reiner is sure it’s because he wanted to avoid making a speech.)

Bertolt had obviously recognized Reiner when they first made eye contact at the water park, but ducked his head self-consciously and followed his little brother toward the waterslide that Reiner was manning that day.

He was wearing a t-shirt and swim trunks that were a little too big on his lean frame, but he looked happier when he felt like he wasn’t being watched after they went down the slide together.

Berwick is about eleven, and judging from the conversations that Reiner happens to overhear (coincidentally, of course), the kid is pretty pissed that their mother has forced Bertolt to accompany him to the water park every time they go.

Bertolt, apparently, is also sort of pissed about it in his own quiet way.

But they do have fun together, and Reiner watches from afar, trying to look unsuspicious.

The fact of the matter is that Reiner has had a terrible, raging crush on Bertolt Hoover since the fifth grade.

It all started one day on the playground. Bertolt didn’t normally get picked on, but suddenly a rumor started floating around that he cheated on tests; that he couldn’t possibly be so smart that he aced every single one.

He’d stood there—impossibly tall even then, with his big, green eyes—cornered as at least three other kids had pelted him with questions about who he thought he was and why he was a cheater.

And then Reiner had shouldered his way through and scowled at them.

“You know,” he’d said, “you guys are just jealous.”

Reiner was popular, even at ten, and their classmates had looked less gung-ho about bothering Bertolt. They’d just walked away eventually.

“Sorry about that,” Reiner had said, puffing his chest out, “some people are jerks.”

Bertolt had just blinked at him, tilted his head to the side, and said timidly, “Thanks—you’re really nice.”

Then, he’d hurried away with his head down, blushing fiercely; and Reiner Braun had fallen in love with Bertolt Hoover at ten years old.

He thought it’d go away over the years. It was just a primary school crush, but then, he watched Bertolt from afar, and he saw all the things that everyone else missed.

The way Bertolt would bite his lip when he was figuring out a particularly difficult math problem, or how those mesmerizing olive green eyes would wander around the cafeteria, taking it all in as he sat alone at the round corner table.

Reiner was too scared to sit with him, even though he wanted to. And then, he tried to convince himself that it was just a weird obsession.

He took the prettiest girl to junior prom. 

He was one of the most popular students in school.

He had straight A’s and a wrestling scholarship to a prestigious college.

Nonetheless, the only thing Reiner thought about on the day of the graduation ceremony was how he’d get to see Bertolt up close when he made his speech on stage. Reiner had never been more excited that his last name started with a “B,” and the only “A” had been Mikasa Ackerman and Armin Arlert. 

But Bertolt hadn’t shown up to the ceremony at all, and Reiner had felt disappointment sink into his gut like a lead weight.

He never thought his shitty summer job would get him a chance to ogle a shirtless Bertolt going down a water slide, all wet and smiling. Given that there’s not much to do in Trost in the summer, though, now Reiner sees this sight at least once a week.

Reiner wants to talk to Bertolt desperately, but he doesn’t know what to say. He wants to ask him to hang out and get shitty chili cheese fries at the Snack Hut, which he gets a discount on since he’s an employee.

This is possibly the lamest date Reiner could ever come up with, but he doesn’t care if he got to do it with Bertolt. 

None of this happens, unfortunately, and Reiner spends most of his days baking in the sun and hoping no one asks him to crawl into dark places to fix things that need a strong, young man. (That being the description his supervisor Petra had given.)

However, there’s one day when things suddenly get exciting, all starting with a bark from one of the park supervisors.

“You!” comes a dyspeptic shout. “Where’s your wristband?”

Reiner blinks from where he’s half-asleep in the sun, manning the slide that Bertolt and Berwick favor, and realizes that the bark has been directed at those two very people.

When Reiner turns to watch what’s going to on, he sees Bertolt looking like a deer caught in a headlight, and Berwick scowling.

“Hey, mister,” he says, “we had ‘em. We come here all the time!”

The supervisor is not appeased, until Berwick suddenly looks over and spots Reiner.

“That guy knows us!” he cries, pointing shamelessly. “He’s always starin’ at us and stuff. He knows!”

If the earth gave Reiner the option to swallow him whole, he’d probably say yes.

“Braun!” the supervisor shouts. “Are these two here on legitimate terms?”

Reiner clears his throat and stands up straight, folding both hands behind his back.

“Yeah,” he replies, “they’re here all the time. I think they have an unlimited pass.”

The supervisor raises an eyebrow, but then turns back to Berwick and Bertolt and apologizes.

Reiner pointedly turns away and pretends to be doing something important with one of the pipelines that feeds into the water slide. Much to his horror, though, he hears Berwick complaining and telling Bertolt they should just leave and get a refund for the rest of the summer.

Then, they disappear, and Reiner kicks himself for not saying something to Bertolt. He has no idea where Bertolt is going to college—if he’s going—and it was his last chance.

He sighs; but suddenly, there’s a tap on his shoulder.

He spins around with wide eyes, and tries not to make a startled noise as he sees Bertolt standing there, wearing a damp t-shirt.

“Um, thanks,” he says, looking down slightly to meet Reiner’s eyes. “You were right—we actually do have a season pass.”

They just stand there awkwardly for a moment, until suddenly Berwick races up.

“Bertl, I’m going to go get ice cream!” he exclaims excitedly.

Bertolt blushes as soon as the nickname is said, and he drops his eyes. “Okay,” he replies softly, turning away from Reiner. “Here’s some money.”

Berwick runs in the other direction toward the ice cream stand, and Bertolt just stands there awkwardly.

“Bertl?” Reiner asks with a grin in his voice.

“It’s a nickname,” Bertolt mumbles uncomfortably.

“It’s nice,” Reiner blurts out before thinking, and then it’s his turn to blush.

Bertolt seemingly is not expecting the response as he looks up in surprise.

“Um, thanks,” he says after a moment. But then he smiles a little, straightening his shirt self-consciously.

They stand there for a few seconds of awkward silence, until Reiner blurts out, “Why didn’t you show up to graduation?” He’s mortified as the words leave his mouth, and he tries to cover them with laughter. “Uh, sorry. That was weird.”

Nevertheless, Bertolt raises his eyes hesitantly to look at Reiner and answers. “I didn’t think anyone would notice.”

Reiner just balks at him for a moment. “I noticed,” he replies, and then tries not to cringe. 

It seems Reiner’s foot is very passionate about his mouth today. 

“Oh,” Bertolt says lamely, crossing his arms over his chest. 

“Do you want to get chili cheese fries after this?” Reiner blurts out, hoping to everything holy he’s not making a mistake.

Bertolt openly stares at him now, looking completely taken aback.

“Like...” Reiner starts, trailing off. “Um... like...”

“A date.”

“To hang out?”

They both end the sentence at the same time, and both blush fiercely when their words overlap.

“Never mind.”

“Yes.”

Reiner is currently stewing in a mixture of disbelief, happiness, and embarrassment.

“Wait... ‘yes?’” he asks expectantly, his voice less confident than he wanted to sound.

Bertolt steals a glance up at him, cheeks crimson now, and nods quickly. “Yeah,” he says softly, “um, if you want.”

“Wait, do you even know my name?” Reiner asks, feeling a little silly. Maybe Bertolt is just saying yes to be polite.

“Of course,” Bertolt replies, clasping his hands together at looking down at them as if they contain the secrets to the universe. “You’re Reiner Braun, and you’re really nice.”

He darts his eyes up hesitantly to meet Reiner’s, and gives a nervous, wan smile.

Reiner returns the smile. “This job sucks, but I get a discount on chili cheese fries. They’re kind of gross, but if you want, we can just sit there and talk.”

Bertolt is blushing again, but he hasn’t broken eye contact this time.

“Okay,” he replies softly.

Reiner doesn’t resent pink polo shirts nearly as much after that.


End file.
